Monday Morning Sports – Husker Women Open Big Ten Play, Husker Volleyball Sweeps Into Sweet 16, Cook Postgame Comments, Loper Basketball Splits Weekends, Kearney High Wrestling Results, Local Sports Schedule

HUSKER WOMEN READY FOR BIG TEN PLAY:

The Nebraska women’s basketball team caps its four-game road swing by opening Big Ten Conference competition at Minnesota today

Tip-off between the Huskers (8-0) and Golden Gophers (6-4) is set for 7 p.m. (CT) at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. The Huskers Radio Network pregame will start at 6:45 PM on KGFW. 

The Huskers head to Minneapolis as the Big Ten’s only remaining unbeaten team and one of just 16 undefeated teams left in the nation through games Dec. 2. Nebraska leads the Big Ten in nine statistical categories, including scoring margin (+34.3 ppg), scoring defense (52.4 ppg), rebound margin (+14.3 rpg), field goal percentage defense (.298), three-point field goal percentage (.424) and three-pointers made (9.4 pg).

HUSKER VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS WEEKEND, ENTERS SWEET 16:

Match times and TV broadcasts have been set for the NCAA Volleyball Tournament’s regional semifinal and final rounds

No. 10 national seed Nebraska (23-7) and Big Ten peer Illinois (22-11) will meet on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 8:30 p.m. The match will be televised on ESPNU and heard on KGFW across the Huskers Radio Network.

The other semifinal between No. 2-seeded Texas (26-1) and No. 15 Washington (26-4) will be played at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.

Nebraska advanced to its 10th straight NCAA Regional Saturday evening with a 3-0 sweep of Florida State at the Devaney Center and a sweep of Campbell on Friday evening.

NEBRASKA VOLLEYBALL v. FLORIDA STATE POSTGAME COMMENTS:

COOK – GOOD JOB BY HUSKERS OVER SEMINOLES

Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook liked his team’s effort in a sweep over Florida State on Saturday night to advance in the NCAA Tournament… 

The Huskers also swept Campbell on Friday night as well. Nebraska will travel to Texas to take on Illinois on Thursday night in the Sweet 16 matchup of Big Ten foes.

COOK – PASSING COULD IMPROVE

Head Coach of Nebraska Volleyball John Cook was pleased by the efforts of his team against Florida State on Saturday in a sweep, but said his team’s passing could have been more efficient… 

Cook and the Huskers take on a familiar foe on Thursday as Nebraska battles Illinois.

COOK – DEFENSIVE EFFORT WAS A DIFFERENCE MAKER

Nebraska Volleyball Coach John Cook was proud of his team’s defensive effort in Saturday’s sweep over Florida State… 

No. 10 Nebraska swept by both Campbell and Florida State to advance to another Sweet 16. 

NEBRASKA MEN FAIL TO HOLD EARLY LEAD, FALL TO INDIANA:

The Nebraska men’s basketball team held Indiana to a season-low in points Saturday, but the Hoosiers overcame an early 10-point deficit and rallied for a 68-55 win at Assembly Hall.

The strong defensive effort was not enough to overcome a cold shooting performance for a Husker team playing its second road game in four days

Nebraska returns home to host Michigan on Tuesday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on ESPN2 with radio coverage on the Huskers Radio Network.

NEBRASKA MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTGAME COMMENTS:

HOIBERG – EFFORT WAS THERE, DID NOT HAVE ENERGY

Nebraska Men’s Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg was disappointed by another loss by the Huskers – this time at the hands of Indiana to start Big Ten play – but appreciated the effort by his squad… 

The Huskers return home after a two day break to take on Michigan on Tuesday.

HOIBERG – OFFENSE NEEDS TO IMPROVE

Fred Hoiberg shared his postgame thoughts after the opening Big Ten loss by the Huskers at the hands of Indiana on Saturday… 

Nebraska hosts Michigan on Tuesday at PBA.

UNK MEN FALL AT BUZZER AGAIN:

Washburn hit a running layup with 2.4 seconds left to help the Ichabods edge Nebraska-Kearney, 79-77, Saturday evening in Topeka. 

A banged-up bunch of Ichabods improve to 4-4 (1-1 MIAA) and to 2-2 at home while the Lopers slip to 3-4 (0-2 MIAA). Dating back to the end of last season, this is the fourth time in the last 10 games a UNK opponent has sunk a game-winner with less than 30 seconds remaining.

UNK heads to Fort Hays State next Saturday.

UNK WOMENS BASKETBALL EDGES WASHBURN:

Junior forward Shiloh McCool had a third straight double double, point guard Haley Simental tallied 14 and No. 20 Nebraska-Kearney used a late 6-0 run to edge Washburn, 49-43, Saturday afternoon in Topeka.

The Lopers (7-1) start the MIAA year 2-0 while the Ichabods fall to 1-6 (0-2) and 0-5 at home. UNK has also taken five of the last six against WU.

The Lopers have just one game next week, a Saturday afternoon date with the rival and 2nd-ranked Fort Hays State Tigers.

STORM RALLY FROM FRIDAY LOSS:

The Tri-City Storm downed the Lincoln Stars 6-3 at the Ice Box Saturday night to improve to 15-3-1-0.

Lleyton Roed, Gavin Brindley, Mitchell Miller, Jeremy Wilmer, Christian Fitzgerald, and Cole O’Hara all scored goals for the Storm in the victory. Arsenii Sergeev turned away 25 of Lincoln’s 28 shots on goal to record the victory in net for Tri-City.

Tri-City hits the ice again on Friday, December 10th in a road game against the Omaha Lancers. Puck drop for the game is scheduled for 7:05pm CT.

KEARNEY HIGH WRESTLING RESULTS:

Bearcats placing at the Kearney High Invite on Saturday:

Tate Kuchera – 1st

Perry Swarm – 3rd

Sam Nactigal – 3rd

Nick Sutton – 3rd

Tavean Miller – 4th

Kaedun Goodman – 4th

Archer Heelan – 4th

Andrew Smith – 4th

Cisco Rivas – 4th

Tate Choplin – 4th

Noah Molina – 4th

Brandon Moore – 4th

Jackson Lavene – 5th

Jakob Ransdell – 5th

HUSKER WRESTLING TAKES HOME TITLES FROM VEGAS:

The No. 9 Nebraska wrestling team won its second-straight and fourth overall Cliff Keen Invitational team title on Saturday night

#9 Nebraska continues its season in two weeks as it hosts South Dakota State at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18. 

Local Results & Schedules:

THIS WEEK IN LOCAL SPORTS:

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL:Early Bird Classic Tournament:
    • Kearney High v. Papillon-LaVista South (@ Bellevue East)
      • KHS 44-35
  • BOYS BASKETBALL:Early Bird Classic Tournament:
    • Kearney High v. Lincoln Southwest (@ PLVS)
      • LSW 68-55
  • WRESTLING: Kearney High Invite v. Multiple teams
    • TEAM = 4th / 14 schools

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Holdrege
    • KCHS 30-28
  • BOYS BASKETBALL:  @ Holdrege
    • KCHS 58-25

• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: @ Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite
    • 21st / 26 (20 total team points)
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Washburn
    • UNK 49-43
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Washburn
    • Washburn 79-77

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Jamestown 
    • Jamestown 79-74
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Jamestown
    • Jamestown 91-88

MONDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

TUESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. North Platte St. Pats @ KCHS – 5:30 PM
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. North Platte St. Pats @ KCHS – 7 PM

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

WEDNESDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ Midland – 6 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Midland – 7:45 PM

THURSDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • N/a

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • WRESTLING: Triangular v. North Platte St. Pats, GICC

• UNK:
  • N/a

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • N/a

FRIDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln East – 5:45 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW @ 5:30 PM; 1340 AM, 96.1 FM, KGFW.com, KGFW App
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Lincoln East – 7:30 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW @ 7:15 PM; 1340 AM, 96.1 FM, KGFW.com, KGFW App
  • WRESTLING: @ Council Bluffs Classic, Norfolk
    • Day 1

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: @ Ord
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: @ Ord
  • WRESTLING: @ Wood River – 10 AM

• UNK:
  • M/W TRACK AND FIELD: Pre-Holiday Meet @ Kearney

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • M/W TRACK AND FIELD: Pre-Holiday Meet @ UNK

SATURDAY:

• KEARNEY HIGH:
  • WRESTLING: @ Council Bluffs Classic, Norfolk
    • Day 2
  • GIRLS BASKETBALL: v. Omaha Central @ Kearney High School – 4:30 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW @ 4:15 PM; 1340 AM, 96.1 FM, KGFW.com, KGFW App
  • BOYS BASKETBALL: v. Omaha Central @ Kearney High School – 6:15 PM
    • Pregame on KGFW @ 6 PM; 1340 AM, 96.1 FM, KGFW.com, KGFW App

• KEARNEY CATHOLIC:
  • N/a

• UNK:
  • WRESTLING: @ Chadron State
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: @ No. 2 Fort Hays State – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: @ Fort Hays State – 4 PM

• HASTINGS COLLEGE:
  • WOMENS WRESTLING: @ Centerville, IA
  • WOMENS BASKETBALL: v. No. 25 Concordia @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 2 PM
  • MENS BASKETBALL: v. Concordia @ Lynn Farrell Arena – 3:45 PM